Merger Update: Details about our $500M in onboard product improvements
Aug 21, 2011, 2:01 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
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Starting to see media converage on this (WSJ) for example and our own Paul Riegler at ERW:
United Continental To Invest $500 Million in Lie-Flat Seats, In-Flight Entertainment, and More Overhead Bin Space
By Paul Riegler
Read the full story »
United Continental To Invest $500 Million in Lie-Flat Seats, In-Flight Entertainment, and More Overhead Bin Space
By Paul Riegler
At the Global Business Travel Association annual convention in Denver, United Continental Holdings announced plans to invest more than $500 million in onboard improvements to its aircraft.
The planned improvements include adding lie-flat seats to 62 long-haul aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft with flat-bed seats in the fleet to 185, more than any other U.S. airline. In addition, the company will continue its upgrades to its three-class Boeing 777 aircraft. Currently, 17 of 46 777s (the airline has 19 777-200s and 33 777-200ERs) have flat-bed seating and new in-flight …
The planned improvements include adding lie-flat seats to 62 long-haul aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft with flat-bed seats in the fleet to 185, more than any other U.S. airline. In addition, the company will continue its upgrades to its three-class Boeing 777 aircraft. Currently, 17 of 46 777s (the airline has 19 777-200s and 33 777-200ERs) have flat-bed seating and new in-flight …
Aug 21, 2011, 2:06 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SHV
Programs: CO, DL, AA
Posts: 115
We should all be cheering...
We should all be cheering.
Changes coming out in advance of what was anticipated on a timeline schedule.
The whiners will always be present, but it looks like to me that someone at UCH has been listening to their customers..and responding.
If you don't like it, move onto another airline....you'll be out of my way in the upgrade line.
I'm sure WN would love to have your business.
Changes coming out in advance of what was anticipated on a timeline schedule.
The whiners will always be present, but it looks like to me that someone at UCH has been listening to their customers..and responding.
If you don't like it, move onto another airline....you'll be out of my way in the upgrade line.
I'm sure WN would love to have your business.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:09 pm
#48
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
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Posts: 9,658
Questions:
1. What about UA legacy aircraft - any changes in F count on A319 and A320? It woud be nice to see those add another row of F to be more compatible with CO's 73G and 738.
2. What is the arrangement of Lie Flat on CO's 767 and UA's 767-300? Anything other than 2-1-2 on the CO fleet.
Finally - same great news after all the negative rumors. The new UA is really positioning itself to be the premium airline.
3. Any 747-800s under consideration to replace the 744's?
Aug 21, 2011, 2:12 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,919
Wow - great news - no reduction in F with E+ conversion. We have discussed this over the last several months.
Questions:
1. What about UA legacy aircraft - any changes in F count on A319 and A320? It woud be nice to see those add another row of F to be more compatible with CO's 73G and 738.
2. What is the arrangement of Lie Flat on CO's 767 and UA's 767-300? Anything other than 2-1-2 on the CO fleet.
Finally - same great news after all the negative rumors. The new UA is really positioning itself to be the premium airline.
3. Any 747-800s under consideration to replace the 744's?
Questions:
1. What about UA legacy aircraft - any changes in F count on A319 and A320? It woud be nice to see those add another row of F to be more compatible with CO's 73G and 738.
2. What is the arrangement of Lie Flat on CO's 767 and UA's 767-300? Anything other than 2-1-2 on the CO fleet.
Finally - same great news after all the negative rumors. The new UA is really positioning itself to be the premium airline.
3. Any 747-800s under consideration to replace the 744's?
I doubt there will be changes to UA aircraft seating (other then 767 and PS)
I read somewhere that no 748s will be ordered. But things can change, and it would be nice.
I think we've been underestimating CO/UA and $misek, he has cut back a bit, but all this news sounds great. Hopefully this trend will continue in the future, and not go the way many of us thought it could.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:12 pm
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,224
Flatbeds
Does it say if the flatbeds will be the UA version or CO version? I'm hoping for CO version.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:12 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 599
i am curious to see if they are going to harmonize of the AVOD/IPE type being installed for the longhaul aircraft; UA charges for Y but CO does not.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:17 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between SFO & SJC
Programs: UA 1MM (and no longer flying much)
Posts: 777
This announcement isn't exactly what I hoped to hear. (which would have included things like p.s. operating SFO-EWR, SFO-ORD and SFO-BOS with 60 seats in flat-bed C...).
But from my perspective it is, overall, unambiguously good news.
But from my perspective it is, overall, unambiguously good news.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:27 pm
#53
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
Bye bye ghetto birds! Love these changes.
I"m also curious about the bin elargements on the Airbusses..I also have never had trouble getting my rollabard in wheels first. I do have trouble on some CO 737's though (but not others). They need to work on that.
I"m also curious about the bin elargements on the Airbusses..I also have never had trouble getting my rollabard in wheels first. I do have trouble on some CO 737's though (but not others). They need to work on that.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:30 pm
#54
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Premier Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 441
I'm really excited about these upgrades!
Aug 21, 2011, 2:32 pm
#55
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
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Posts: 3,870
Aug 21, 2011, 2:35 pm
#56
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 439
Boeing only has 36 existing orders for the 747-8I passenger version, which sounds like they would never break even, unless they went ahead on the strength of their freight orders. Deliveries are supposed to start late this year. It's an iconic aircraft, but the days of US airlines understanding the value of icons has largely left us.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:37 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
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RIP upgrading to the C cabin in PS - it was fun while it lasted.
Aug 21, 2011, 2:41 pm
#58
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SoCal
Programs: UA Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 833
Aug 21, 2011, 2:41 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
UA just got 13 longhauls to add to the fleet by converting the domestic 763 fleet.
Oh, and they aren't going to stop converting the 777s to 3-class. (I am kind of surprised that they aren't converting the domestic 777s as well- to be 2-class flatbed planes).
Oh, and they aren't going to stop converting the 777s to 3-class. (I am kind of surprised that they aren't converting the domestic 777s as well- to be 2-class flatbed planes).
Aug 21, 2011, 2:42 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
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My stepmom has flown paid F with her company's leadership team on PS - and they're the furthest thing from SAG/entertainment you can imagine industry-wise...
I flew PS paid C on int'l itins to Asia and UG'd to F plenty of times. Ah well. Bet they close up shop on the JFK IFL as well and just expand the regular RCC seating.
You now have 50% more Y pax who have the ability to UG to C. Advance NC will pretty much be 0 now. Of course, if you do score the UG, it will be a nice ride.
You now have 50% more Y pax who have the ability to UG to C. Advance NC will pretty much be 0 now. Of course, if you do score the UG, it will be a nice ride.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Aug 21, 2011 at 3:13 pm Reason: merge